Apparatus for raising sunken vessels



H. M. MEGUERDITCHIAN. APPARATUS FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS. APPLICAUONFILED APR.6. 191m 1,337,250. Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IHHIH" II'I'WI VENTOR L93 5 ATTOR NEY H. M. MEGUERDITCHIAN. APPARATUSFOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1918.

1,337,250. Patented Apr. 20. 1920.

' 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 J5 I21 I /Q 73 la 9 o 26 jWf/Z p. 26

2 ja INVENTOR WITNESSES M JW x BY j I @9 g 7 ATTORNEY rtrrnp STATESPATENT onnron.

I-IAIRABED M. MEGUERDITCHIAN, OF GREEN ISLAND, NEW YORK.

Arreiae'rus For. Raisins sUNKEN vEssELs.

Application filed. April 6. 1918.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, HArnAnnn M. MEGUER- DlTCI-IIAN. a subject of theSultan of Turkey, residing at Green Island, in the county of Albany andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Raising Sunken Vessels, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention has relation to apparatus for raising sunken vessels, andthe nature and objects thereof will'be readily apparent to those skilledin the art to which this invention appertains in the light of thefollowing explanation of the accompanying drawings, illustrating what Inow believe to be the preferred embodiment, or mechanical e2;- pression,of my invention from among other forms and arrangements within thespirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for this purposeincluding a plurality of relatively large inflatable bodies adapted tobe sunk in a deflated condition, and attached to the sunken vessel, andsubsequently inflated by any suitable means whereby to elevate thevessel to the surface of the water.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an apparatus for raisingsunken vessels including inflatable bodies of a novel character, eachinflatable body including a fabric container adapted to be inflated, anda collapsible framework to surround the same, said framework includingsliding joints to permit the framework to expand as the containers areinflated.

A still further objectof the invention'is to provide means of a novelcharacter associated with the framework of the inflatable bodies,adapted to be inserted in the port holes of a sunken vessel whereby thevessel may be readily anchored to the inflatable bodies.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means tobe embodied in submarine whereby the anchoring means for the inflatablebodiesmay be readily inserted in the port holes of the sunken vessel.

In addition to the foregoing my invention comprehends improvements inthe details of construction and arrangement of the correlative parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which Specification of Letters Patent.

.vent the escape of air.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Serial No. 227,067.

similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters ofreference throughout the several views in which they appear:

Figure 1, is a view illustrating the manner in which a sunken vessel israised by means of my apparatus.

Fig. 2, is a View in side elevation of one of the inflatable bodies.

Fig. 3, is a view in transverse section taken through the inflatablebody of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4:, is a detail view illustrating one method of forming the jointsbetween the sections of the frame.

Fig. 5, is a detail View illustrating another form of joint.

Fig. 6, is a longitudinal section illustrating the sliding oints in thesections of the frame.

Fig. 7. is 'a transverse section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8. is a detail view in section illustrating the means for insertingthe anchoring element in the port holes of the sunken vessel.

Fig. 9. is a view in side elevation of one end of the inflat ble bodyillustrating a reticulated cover therefor.

Fig. 10, is a detail view. and

Fig. 11, is a view illustrating a method of su orting the weights.

lVith referen e to the drawings 10-1O indicates a pair of inflatablebodies, adapted to be disposed one at each side of the sunlren vessellongitudinally thereof. Each inflatable body is oblong. substantiallycircular in cross section and provided with rounded ends, as clearlvshown in Fig. 2 of the drawin s. Each inflatable body consists of afabric container 11 of material consisting of one or more layers ofcoarse fabric or ord embedded or vulcanized in nbber. Tubes 12 are conneted to the ontainers to conduct the air and check valves 12 locatedadjacent the point of connection of the tubes with the ontainer to pre-These valves correspond in structure to those used in pneumatic tires..Each fabric container 11 is surrounded by means of a framework of acollapsible nature consisting of a plurality of annular members of woodor other suitable material. Ea h annular member comprises a plurality ofconnected short sections 14, hingedlv connected for relative movement.One form of hinge is shown in Fig. 4. This form of hinge consists of apair of eye bolts or the like 15 secured to the adjacent ends of thesections 14. The

eye bolts, in the present instance are formed of strands of circularstock bent upon themselves at intermediate points to form eyes 16, andthe terminals disposed in parallelism and then separated as indicated at17. The shanks and bent portions 17 are driven laterally into the sidesof the sections 14 and then ferrules 18 are slipped over the ends of thesections to securely anchor the eye bolts in place and to prevent theirdisconnection from the sections 14. The eye bolts are interlinked asshown and the sections 14 are thus hingedly connected for relativemovement. Adjacent sections 14 around the bottom portion of thecontainers of each annular member are then connected by means oflongitudinally extending strips .19. Each annular member 13 is formed ata point in its circumference with a joint shown in Figs. 6 and 7. At thejoint the adjacent ends of the sections14 are unprovided with a hingedconnection of the type shown in Fig. 4, but are recessed and the lowerwalls of the recess cut away as at 20. The cut away portions 20 formtracks or race-ways for rollers 21 of which a pair are provided for eachone of said adjacent sections 14, the rollers of each section beingconnected together by means of a shaft22, with the terminals of theshafts j ou'rnaled in a rectangular casing 23 open at its lower side andends to receive the adjacent ends of said sections 14. A bar 24 isprovided, having one end bent at right angles as at 25 and secured tothe upper surface of one section 14, while the opposite end of the baris slotted as at 26. A second bar 27 is provided, having one end bent atright angles as at 28 and secured to the other section 14, and its freeend bent at right angles and inserted in the slot 26 offset to form thehead 29 thereby permitting longitudinal movement of the bars 24 and 27relative to each other but preventing separation thereof; A second formof joint for the section 14 is disclosed in Fig. 5 from which it will benoted that one section is bifurcated to form a pair of spaced ears 30,while the adjacent section is reduced to form an ear 31 insertiblebetween the ears 30. A bolt 32 is then inserted in said ears topivotally conne t the sections 14 together. One section 14 of eachannular member is provided with an eye bolt 33, said eye bolts being inalinement to receive a rope cable or the like 34, which passestherethrough. The cable is passed through the eye bolts in a mannerpeculiar to this invention. It will be noted from Fig. 11 that initiallya loop 34 is formed in one end of the cable. A second loop 34 is thenformed and passed through the eye bolt off an end member 13,

said loop being subsequently passed through the loop 34 A weight 35 isthen secured to the cable and another loop 34 formed. A fourth loop 34is then formed which is passed through the eye bolt of the next annularmember 13, said loop 34 being subsequently passed through the loop 34. Asecond weight 35 is now secured to the free strand of the cable and theformation of loops just described is repeated, thereby locating a weightbetween each pair of eye bolts. When the last eye bolt has been reacheda loop 34 is formed through which a pin 34 is inserted, said pin beingslidable in guides secured to the end annular mean t ber 13. A cordattached to the pin is led up to the surface of the water when the floatis submerged together with the free end of the cable 34 for a purposewhich will be presently noted. Also secured to longitudinally alined'sections 14 of the annular members 13, at opposite sides of theinflatable body, are eye bolts 36 to which short sections of chain orthe like 37 are connected having their free ends connected to theintermediate portions of bars 38. If desired, the fabric container 11may be covered by means of a reticulated material or netting 39 toprevent undue expansion of the inflatable bodies.

In use, the inflatable bodies are submerged in a deflated condition.WVhen the fabric container is deflated it will be noted that thesections 14 of the annular members may lie in contact or the annularmember may be collapsed. The floats may be lowered into the water'bymeans of derricks with a block and fall, the latter being connected torings 13, provided in the annular members 13 for that purpose. Theweights 25 will cause the portion of the inflatable bodies bearing theweights to submerge first so as to form the keel of the inflatablemembers. WVhen the inflatable bodies have been submerged to a pointadjacent the sunken vessel the port holes arebroken and the bars 38strung at each side of the inflatable bodies inserted in the port holesas shown in Fig. 1 The tubular conduits 12 are extended upward and to asource of air under pressure which may be supplied by means of anyapparatus carried on board vessels indicated at 40. The fabriccontainers may be now inflated by forcing air under pressure thereto andthe fabric containers assume a cylindrical configuration and it will benoted that the annular members 13 will give and likewise assume acircular formation thus securely bracing the fabric container andpreventing injury thereto by contact with the sides of the sunkenvessel. It will be noted that when the fabric containers are inflatedalmost to capacity, the joints shown in Figs. 6 and 7 will operate,permitting increase in diameter of the annular members slightly untilthe capacity of the fabric container is reached. The cord secured to thepin 34 is now tightened so as to withdraw said pin from the loop 34whereupon the cable 34 is pulled. As a result the loops of said cable,beginning with the loop last made are disengaged, onefrom another andthe wei hts thus disengaged from the eye bolts-33. The weights willobviously be still connected together by means of the cable 34 thuspermitting the cable and weights to be elevated to the surface of thewater. The buoyancy of the inflatable bodies will now be increased andthey will act to elevate the sunken vessel to the surface.

It will be obvious that in shallow water the anchoring members may beinserted in the port holes of the sunken vessel, or the floats otherwiseconnected thereto by divers.

I have illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawings a device designed to insertthe bars 38 or anchoring members in the port holes of the sunken vessel.This apparatus may be embodied in a submarine, the shell of which isindicated at 41. Mounted exteriorly upon the shell is a pair ofstandards 42, each pivotally carrying a gear wheel 43. Each gear wheel43 carries an arm 44 and said arms are formed in sections by theprovision of joints 45 at points intermediate their ends defining outersections 44*. The joints it will. be noted permit movement of the outerterminals of the arms as well as movement of the sections 44 toward andaway from each other. A rack bar 46 is disposed between the gears 43 inmeshing engagement with both. A reciprocatory bar 47 is mounted in anopening in the shell of the submarine and a coil spring 48 connects oneend of said bar with the rack bar 46 so that the rack bar may be shiftedwhen the hand grip 47 is shifted in a corresponding direction. It willbe noted that by movement of the rack bar 46 the gears 43 will berotated to thus move the arms 44 toward and away from each other as thecase may be. In use, the arms 44 are moved toward each other to engageone of the anchoring members 38 therebetween. Mounted on each innersection of each arm 44 is a spring pressed bolt 44 designed to enterkeepers on the sections 44 Rods 49 connected to said bolts are ledthrough packing glands in the shell of the submarine whereby the boltsmay be withdrawn. It will be seen that the bolts will act to retain thesections of the arms 44 in alinement. The anchoring member 38 havingbeen grasped between the arms the rods 49 are manipulated to withdrawthe bolts. Rods 50 pivotally connected to the outer sections 44 of thearm are likewise provided and led through packing glands in the shell ofthe submarine and by reciproeating these rods the outer sections 44 maybe oscillated about the joints 45 to break in the glass covering of theport holes of the sunken vessel to insert the anchoring member. hen theanchoring member has been inserted the rack bar 46 may be shifted toseparate the arms 44 as an entirety to release the anchoring member. Itwill be noted that the spring 48 will act to resiliently retain the arms44 in engagement while the outer sections thereof are manipulated. Awindow is provided in the shell of the submarine as indicated at 51 topermit the crew to observe the operation of the mechanism justdescribed, and illuminating devices 52 are provided on the outside ofthe submarine to illuminate the surroundings beneath the water. Atelephone apparatus 53 may be provided to permit the operators of thesubmarine to communicate intelligence to the crew of the vessels 40 toindicate when the inflatable bodies have been securely anchored to thesunken vessel.

When the wreck has been elevated to the surface of the water the floatswill support the same and the wreck with floats attached may be towedinto port.

In deep water where the use of a submarine is necessary to secure thefloats to the sunken vessel it is my intention to provide deflatablefloats of the character above described for attachment to thesubmarines. My object is to prevent the loss of life and property in theevent that mishap occurs to the submarine while it is submerged. In theevent that the machinery of the submarine breaks down while the latteris submerged, thus rendering it impossible for the submarine to regainthe surface under its own power, I propose to lower floats while in adeflated condition and to secure them to the submarine so that thesubmarine may be elevated by inflating the floats in the same manner asin connection with the raising of other sunken vessels.

The foregoing description and the drawings have reference to what may beconsidered the preferred or approved form of my invention. It is to beunderstood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangementand combination of parts, materials, dimensions, etc., as may proveexpedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. An apparatus for raising sunken vesselsincluding an inflatable container and a framework inclosing the sameincluding a plurality of collapsible annular members, each annularmember comprising a plurality of hingedly connected sections, adjacentend sections, and means connecting said end sections for slidingmovement.

2. An apparatus for raising sunken vessels including an inflatablecontainer, a

framework surrounding the same comprising a plurality of annularmembers, each annular member comprising hingedly connectedsections'placed end to end with the end sections, a member spanning theadjacent ends of said sections, rollers carried by said spanning membersengaging said adjacent ends of the sections, and means connecting saidadjacent ends of the sections for sliding movement.

3. In an apparatus for raising sunken vessels, a framework including aplurality of annular members, each member comprising hingedly connectedsections in end to end relation With end sections, said end sectionshaving alined grooves forming race-Ways, a spanning member for saidadjacent ends, a pair of parallel shafts carried by said spanningmembers, rollers on the shaft to enter the grooves, a pair of rods, oneconnected to each end section, one rod having a slot, and a bentterminal of the other rod entering the slot whereby to connect saidadjacent ends for relative movement.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of a Witness.

HAIRABED M. MEGUERDITCHIAN.

Witness:

M. E. Jones.

